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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25432648">The Date</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Genuinelies/pseuds/Genuinelies'>Genuinelies</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Shadows Rising (World of Warcraft), Warcraft - All Media Types, World of Warcraft, World of Warcraft - Various Authors</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Book Spoilers (Minor), Fairshaw, Fairshaw is unexpectedly sweet, Just Say No to Queerbaiting, M/M, Missing Scene, The Date</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 06:35:43</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,794</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25432648</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Genuinelies/pseuds/Genuinelies</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Missing scene / continuation of "Shadows Rising", or in other words the date that should have been. </p><p>---</p><p>“Do you have a point, Fairwind?”</p><p>“First of all, what happened to ‘Flynn’?” Flynn sounded plaintive. </p><p>“I-” Mathias blinked. He hadn’t realized he’d switched. </p><p><i>Trying to get some distance between us, </i> he realized. <i>Hadn’t noticed.</i></p><p>   <i>Sloppy. </i></p><p> “Second of all.” </p><p>The waiter came by with their drinks. Flynn looked put out for a minute, frowning in a way that Mathias absolutely found adorable with his lip out. </p><p>Mathias took a huge swig of his lambic.</p><p>  <i>Second of all. What good ever came of ‘second of all’? </i></p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Flynn Fairwind/Mathias Shaw</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>135</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Date</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Minor spoilers:</p><p>- In the book Shaw is left behind and Flynn is depicted as having been "gaunt" when they reunite, due to Flynn's worry and haste at finding him a rescue<br/>- Flynn's mother was a thief, and so was Shaw's grandmother; Flynn's mom was hanged, Shaw's grandmother was recruited by the Alliance. In the book, they were supposed to have a get-together (never classified as a date) at the Gilded Rose so that Shaw could tell him his grandmother's story</p><p>That should be all that's needed to follow along :)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“This is…classy.”</p><p>“Don’t sound surprised, Fairwind,” Mathias Shaw drawled. He managed to keep the amusement off of his face, mostly; he felt his mustache twitch.</p><p>The door to the Blue Recluse clicked shut behind them; a gentle shanty was wafting through the air on stringed instruments, the music box tucked away in some unseen corner. Mathias took a quick but thorough look around the room, then relaxed slightly. He put a hand on Flynn’s back and guided the pirate to a shaded corner, out of the way of the rest of the patrons.</p><p>“I didn’t…not saying you’re…wasn’t questioning your taste, Mattie.” Flynn looked guilty, which meant he absolutely had been questioning Shaw’s reputability. “I’ll probably stick out like a sore thumb.”</p><p>“Ah.” Mathias blinked at him as Flynn pulled out a chair for him. Flynn smirked.</p><p>Mathias sat down, and cleared his throat.</p><p>Their last…meeting…had been pleasant, he reflected. They’d filled each other in on what had happened since Mathias had been left on the island, got to talking about his grandmother, at last, bonded over grief and drinks.</p><p>Then it had ended. They’d said their goodnights. That was it.</p><p>Mathias had been quick to ask Flynn to meet with him again.</p><p>
  <em>Too quick, maybe?</em>
</p><p>“Hey.” Flynn was smiling at him from across the table. Mathias gave him a small smile back until Flynn flicked his eyes sideways. He followed his gaze up to the waiter, looking bored but patient as he stood by their table.</p><p><em>That could have meant death,</em> Mathias thought with alarm. He’d gotten distracted. Sloppy.</p><p>
  <em>This was a bad idea.</em>
</p><p>“He’ll have the Badlands bourbon,” Mathias said. “I’ll have the Lordaeron lambic. And uh…the cod and a side of watermelon.”</p><p>He looked to Flynn. “Sound all right?”</p><p>“Perfect, mate.” Flynn still looked bemused. The waiter murmured an <em>of course, sirs,</em> and left.</p><p>“Hey. Not to be a…wet blanket.” Flynn snorted. “Though, ex-pirate. Used to that, let me tell you. The one good thing about this landbound continent is that it does have dry bedding.”</p><p>“The one thing?”</p><p>Flynn flushed. “Just a generalization.”</p><p>“Do you have a point, Fairwind?”</p><p>“First of all, what happened to ‘Flynn’?” Flynn sounded plaintive.</p><p>“I-” Mathias blinked. He hadn’t realized he’d switched.</p><p><em>Trying to get some distance between us,</em> he realized. <em>Hadn’t noticed.</em></p><p>
  <em>Sloppy.</em>
</p><p>“Second of all.”</p><p>The waiter came by with their drinks. Flynn looked put out for a minute, frowning in a way that Mathias absolutely found adorable with his lip out.</p><p>Mathias took a huge swig of his lambic.</p><p><em>Second of all.</em> What good ever came of ‘second of all’?</p><p>Flynn polished off a glass of bourbon. Mathias watched with a small amount of concern as he poured another, and waved the waiter over again to order some waters.</p><p>Flynn set the glass down with a <em>thunk.</em></p><p>“Second of all,” he continued, excruciatingly pausing to wipe off his facial hair on the arm of his coat.</p><p>Mathias felt a muscle in his jaw twitch.</p><p>Flynn’s expression wavered, then fell, becoming a shade of vulnerable.</p><p>“Is this. You know.” He gestured between them. “Is this a…”</p><p>Mathias frowned. “A?”</p><p>“A. You know.”</p><p>Mathias stared at him blankly.</p><p>“Oh, come on. You’re going to make me say it. Fine. Is this a…you know. Is this a date, mate?” Flynn winced, likely at the rhyme he’d unfortunately tacked on to the end.</p><p>Mathias felt his stomach drop. His shoulders stiffened.</p><p>“I had thought it was our second.”</p><p>Flynn choked on a swig of his drink, spluttering. Mathias felt slightly nauseous, and of course that was when the waiter brought their steaming platter of fish and vegetables to the table.</p><p>“I…misread the situation,” Mathias guessed flatly.</p><p>“Second!” Flynn gasped. “So that time over at the Gilded Rose was…we were talking about our dead relatives, Mattie!”</p><p>Mathias winced.</p><p>“Forget and forgive my error in judgment,” he said. “Please.”</p><p>He stabbed a piece of carrot with his fork so viciously it splintered.</p><p>Flynn whistled, low.</p><p>“You don’t have to look so amused at my expense!” Mathias snapped, flushing. “You were friendly. And I haven’t shared…that is, you told me about your mother. Your past. It seemed…significant.”</p><p>“I was friendly.” Flynn was grinning at him.</p><p>Mathias eyed him suspiciously.</p><p>“Sounds like I might need to try harder,” Flynn drawled. “’Friendly’. Hmph. I’m ‘friendly’ to strangers. Been missing the mark, sounds like. So. I thought this was a first date.”</p><p>Relief hit Mathias hard, but irritation won out, pulling his face into a scowl.</p><p>Under the table, Mathias felt Flynn’s large leg nestle itself between his feet, pressing their calves together.</p><p>“You’re insufferable,” Mathias muttered, exasperated. His heart had started to pound with exhilaration, though.</p><p>He wasn’t sure if he’d have been brave enough to clear things up the way Flynn just had for them. Flynn’s mischievousness had softened, and his eyes were-Mathias thought hopefully-fond on his own.</p><p><em>Fond.</em> For him.</p><p>“You’re insecure for an otherwise confident man,” Flynn mused.</p><p>“I know where my competence lies,” Mathias admitted. “It’s in sweet-talking. Negotiating. Getting people to warm up. Not…”</p><p>“Not being honest,” Flynn broke in, before he could falter. “Not thinking people will like you when you’re not trying, is that it?”</p><p>Mathias winced with dissatisfaction, but it was true, so he didn’t argue.</p><p>“So we’re in agreement that this is a date, then, and you’re not tricking me into some fancy meal for a hostage negotiation,” Flynn said cheerfully. “And that last time at the Gilded Rose was sorely under-explained and un-negotiated.”</p><p>“Un-negotiated!” Mathias felt a happy little flame light up in his chest. By virtue of being there, it illuminated ten thousand other distant and likely non-existent dangers to worry about.</p><p>
  <em>Flynn could be used against him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Flynn could use him. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>…Flynn had sailed home so quickly and fretted so much he’d become gaunt in Mathias’s absence.</em>
</p><p>“Eat,” Mathias said, “Or order something you’d rather have.”</p><p>Flynn huffed out a laugh, but served himself a giant helping of fish.</p><p>“Yes,” he said. “Un-negotiated. If I’d known it was a date, I might have ended it a little better.”</p><p>Mathias felt his neck warm. “Is that right?”</p><p>“Haven’t been here long, but I’ve heard enough about the Rose. No one would have noticed us slip upstairs.”</p><p>Mathias wrinkled his nose. “That’s exactly why I didn’t explain my intentions, Fairwind.”</p><p>Flynn’s eyes widened. He set down his fork, then looked around the establishment, then back to Mathias, who raised his eyebrows questioningly.</p><p>“Something the matter?”</p><p>“You…you want to make an honest man out of me!” Flynn’s consternation was slowly transforming into delight. “You know I’m a pirate, don’t you? I couldn’t believe you thought I wouldn’t sully your reputation in this place, but you thought I was too good for a night at the Rose!”</p><p>“Ex-pirate,” Mathias smirked, though it contained a hint of his ill-repressed worry. “You’re worth twenty of anyone in here, Flynn.”</p><p>Flynn’s mouth snapped shut. A flush slowly pinked his cheeks. His focus turned to the meal in front of him with single-minded determination under Mathias’s gaze.</p><p>Mathias smiled. It was nearly unfamiliar on his mouth. He rubbed Flynn’s leg with his calf and watched in fascination as Flynn’s cheeks turned a brighter red.</p><p>“You, uh. You know the difference between our two stories, don’t you?” Flynn said, keeping his gaze on his plate.</p><p>“No. What?”</p><p>“My mother was hanged, and your grandmother went and worked for the authorities,” Flynn said. “And look at you, and where you are. My crew turned and mutinied.”</p><p>“And now we both work for the same crown. Not seeing your point.”</p><p>“I’m worth a night at the Rose, Shaw, I just…can’t figure out why…” he gestured to the room, still not meeting Mathias’s gaze.</p><p>Mathias reached out, and grabbed Flynn’s hand. Flynn raised wide eyes to his own.</p><p>Mathias smiled again. He must have been out of practice, because Flynn’s eyes widened further.</p><p>“Do you know how many people I’ve told that story to?”</p><p>Flynn shrugged. It was a poor attempt at being nonchalant.</p><p>“Two, maybe three people, including yourself.”</p><p>“Ah. I.” Flynn cleared his throat. “All right. Well.”</p><p>“You haven’t drunk much of your bourbon. Not to your liking?”</p><p>“I was…thinking ahead,” Flynn admitted. He brightened again. “You said this was a date. Have to keep the mast up.”</p><p>It was Mathias’s turn to flush.</p><p>“Make sure the rigging works,” Flynn added cheerfully.</p><p>“Yes. I get it,” Mathias groaned.</p><p>“Well, I’m stuffed. How about you?”</p><p>“Couldn’t eat another bite,” Mathias lied in agreement.</p><p>Mathias flagged down the waiter, and then glowered as Flynn got to his gold to pay faster than he could. Flynn smirked, and they nearly ran into each other getting up from the table.</p><p>“You live around here, mate?”</p><p>“Old Town.”</p><p>“Oof. Too far.”</p><p>“For what?”</p><p>Flynn grabbed his hand and waggled his eyebrows at him. It was ridiculous.</p><p>Mathias let himself be pulled out into the night-blanketed Mage Quarter, then fell a step ahead of Flynn to lead the way back to his home.</p><p>Their hands were still locked together.</p><p>
  <em>Should he care?</em>
</p><p>His eyes roamed the stone streets and alleyways as they walked, ever-alert, ever-afraid. Flynn knocked his shoulder into Mathias’s, smirking unapologetically when they stumbled together.</p><p>
  <em>He should probably care. Flynn was a liability that could be used against him. He could be used against Flynn.</em>
</p><p>“You know,” Flynn murmured, “I can’t wait to get you to stop thinking.”</p><p>Mathias tripped. Flynn caught him with a hand around his waist that roamed straight south.</p><p>
  <em>They could be used against one another. This could only end in heartbreak. </em>
</p><p>Flynn squeezed his hand where it rested on his ass and kissed his cheek at the same time. Mathias didn’t protest either, and tried to lead them through as many back alleys as he could. <em>Mitigate the damage. Stay in the shadows, out of sight.</em> They reached his door at last. Flynn rested against the frame with his arms crossed as Mathias opened up the lock.</p><p>He stepped forward, and turned to Flynn with desperation before they were fully inside. Grabbing Flynn’s collar, he yanked him forward into a deep kiss that made him gasp with relief as Flynn thrust his tongue inside his mouth.</p><p>“Light help me,” Mathias whimpered.</p><p>It came out like a murloc gargling.</p><p>Flynn pulled the door closed behind them with a slam, and Mathias reached behind him to flip the lock shut. No sooner had he done so than Flynn lifted him by his thighs and turned them to crowd Mathias into the wall, rolling his hips between his legs.</p><p>Mathias groaned.</p><p>
  <em>He should be quiet.</em>
</p><p>“I’m going to make you scream, love,” Flynn promised, his eyes dark. “All those things you said. You deserve to be thanked, mate.”</p><p>Mathias got his fingers tangled into Flynn’s thick hair and pulled, his breathing raspy with arousal. He bucked back against Flynn.</p><p>“I was afraid I’d misread the situation,” he said.</p><p>“I’d thought you were just interested in a quick fuck. Maybe,” Flynn countered. “But you took me to a fancy dinner in a fancy district and told me I was worth twenty of them.”</p><p>Flynn’s voice had turned sing-song.</p><p>“All true,” Mathias gasped.</p><p>“And now we’re in your home.”</p><p>Mathias had used his rogue’s deftness to get Flynn’s coat open and his belt off, and began working on his own clothes, with what limited room he had left between their bodies. Flynn was relentlessly pushing his clothed but generous-feeling arousal into Mathias’s, and it was becoming a little too effective.</p><p>“Hold off, hold off, stop…”</p><p>Flynn moaned, but stepped back, setting him gently on the floor. Mathias drew in a shuddering breath, bracing himself on the wall to get his bearings.</p><p>“Bedroom’s upstairs,” he suggested. He staggered to his small kitchen and found oil, Flynn following him like a dog, rubbing his arms and sucking kisses against his neck the whole way.</p><p>He’d nearly gotten to the stairs when Flynn lifted him again, grinning. Mathias gave in and wrapped his legs around his middle, pressing his lips to every bit of exposed skin he could reach.</p><p>“Glad I’m not the only one who’s eager,” Flynn said, tilting his head this way and that to help Mathias, or maybe just to see where he was going. Finally they reached the top, and Flynn dumped him on his bed.</p><p>“What did I say,” Flynn said, sounding pleased. “Dry bedding.”</p><p>Mathias laughed. Flynn looked shocked.</p><p>“What?” Mathias sobered.</p><p>“I’ve never…Mattie, I don’t think I’ve heard you laugh before. Chuckle, sure, but…” Flynn shook his head. “We’ll work on changing that.”</p><p>Mathias sat up and yanked down Flynn’s already-unfastened pants, and licked a stripe up the underside of his length. Flynn choked above him and then made a very satisfying noise in his throat when Mathias sucked him into his mouth.</p><p>Flynn shrugged off his coat and got out of his shirt as Mathias undulated his tongue against him, bitter precum hitting the back of his throat.</p><p><em>A surprisingly clean pirate,</em> he thought with satisfaction. Salt and soap. He gripped the base of his length that his mouth couldn’t quite handle and pumped until Flynn’s large hand latched onto his hair and pulled him off.</p><p>Mathias wiped off his mouth, panting.</p><p>“Too close, love,” Flynn chuckled.</p><p>Mathias finished removing his own clothes – or at least half of them, since Flynn had taken to removing his boots and pants and smallclothes.</p><p>“You’re less mouthy like this,” Mathias observed, wryly.</p><p>“Need my mouth for other things,” Flynn waggled his eyebrows again, but smirked. “But honestly, you’ve just made it a little hard to think.”</p><p>He dropped on top of him, Mathias letting out an <em>oof</em> beneath his weight. Flynn pushed open his thighs.</p><p>“Like this? I’m all right either way, but it’s going to have to happen soon or…”</p><p>Mathias grinned. “This is fine, Flynn. Get on with it.”</p><p>Somehow, he’d found the oil, because one thick finger pushed inside of him already slicked up. He crooked it and Mathias drew in a sharp breath at the flare of warm pleasure. Flynn wiggled it around as Mathias tried to hold onto his wits.</p><p>“I don’t think you’ve had much contact with anyone, other than that hug I got when you returned,” Flynn said, obviously smug. He rested on his elbow above Mathias as he worked. “So this…”</p><p>“Feels bloody incredible,” Mathias agreed with a growl. He bucked, at first with discomfort and then with growing desire as Flynn added another finger and began scissoring them.</p><p>Flynn bent, and licked into his mouth until he was moving his tongue in time with his pushing fingers, in and out. Mathias began to tremble, his arms around Flynn’s broad shoulders.</p><p>There was a sudden absence within him as Flynn withdrew his hand, but not his tongue. Mathias murmured a muffled protest, but Flynn lined himself up and then pushed steadily inside as Mathias groaned against his lips.</p><p>He drew out, and then snapped his hips forward.</p><p><em>Large, like the rest of him. Almost too large. </em>Mathias cried out around Flynn’s tongue.</p><p><em>Out, then in. </em>Flynn stretched him. His thrusting picked up into a driving beat.</p><p>
  <em>Perfect.</em>
</p><p>“Don’t look like you’re thinking anymore,” Flynn drew his head back to murmur against his lips.</p><p>Mathias dragged his fingers through his hair, rocking with him as best he could. The mattress creaked under them as their skin slapped together.</p><p>“Not a lot, at least,” Mathias grated out.</p><p>Flynn reached between them and took him in hand.</p><p>“You, uh,” he said, breathlessly. “You sounded like you wanted more than this.”</p><p>“You want to talk about this now?” Mathias panted. It was all he could do to string the words together as his abdomen tightened, his every nerve straining toward release.</p><p>Flynn pulled almost out, then slammed back inside of him. He gave a wail as he <em>almost</em> crested.</p><p>Flynn did it again, and again.</p><p>“I want more than this,” Mathias managed, then shouted as bliss rolled through him. He spilled between them as Flynn stopped holding back and lost the rhythm, jerking until he stiffened and came inside of Mathias hotly.</p><p>Flynn bent and kissed Mathias, then pulled out gently and flopped next to him on the bed. He turned his head and smiled, none of the smirk and wit present on his face, only tenderness.</p><p>Mathias’s eyebrows drew up in yearning. He couldn’t help it.</p><p>“I want more, too, Mathias,” Flynn said. He reached over and brushed sweaty hair from his forehead.</p><p>Mathias nodded as he tried to catch his breath.</p><p><em>A life together,</em> he thought silently.</p><p>But it wasn’t time to say that yet.</p><p>It was just the beginning.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So the cod and the watermelon are taken from this quest: https://wow.gamepedia.com/Feast_at_the_Blue_Recluse</p><p>...yum?</p></blockquote></div></div>
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